Patience will be rewarded if Lightning Jack can add the Invercargill Guineas to his Gore Guineas win at Ascot Park today.
Riverton trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler have stuck to their plan for the third leg of the Southern Guineas Triple Crown.
The Tylers were not tempted to run the 3yr-old in the Dunedin Guineas, despite his excellent win at Gore.
“That was the plan. He is only a light-framed wee fellow,” Kelvin Tyler said.
“He is probably not strong enough yet to go to all three guineas races, so we have targeted the first one and the last one.”
Lightning Jack launched a huge late finish off a hectic pace to win the 1355m Gore Guineas.
The way he powered to the line suggests stepping up to 1600m at Ascot Park should not be a problem.
“He probably wants the 2000m at the moment. He is the real deal,” Tyler said.
But there is one doubt.
“His biggest problem is probably getting around the tight Invercargill track that normally has a front-runner’s bias.
“That is the biggest concern.”
Drawing the widest barrier means rider Kylie Williams is likely to have to pick a path for Lightning Jack from towards the rear of the field.
“From the outside gate he will probably have to go back a bit,” Tyler told NZ Racing Desk.
“I don’t like hunting them out too much. Hopefully he can get a nice run.
The Tyler stable has a three-pronged attack on the listed 1600m feature with He’s Got Power and Kitty Power also starting.
Tyler considers Lightning Jack his leading winning hope.
He’s Got Power will line up as the stable’s No2 hope, despite dropping immensely in class after starting in Karaka Million Classic.
The 3yr-old has failed in all his starts on dead and good ground and that kind of ground was against him at Ellerslie, last month.
“The barrier was against him and probably the firm track, too,” Tyler said.
“We knew what we were up against, so we just winged it, really.”
“He probably needs a bit of a wet track and it’s not too wet at the moment.”
“So we are just hoping with him, really.”
The Ascot Park track is unlikely to be slower than a dead rating today.
He’s Got Power’s condition is excellent following his return from Auckland.
“He took about a week to get home. He travelled back really good,” Tyler said.
Kitty Power battled into ninth in the Dunedin Guineas after running 11th in the Gore Guineas.
Dunedin Guineas winner El Gladiador also looks a good prospect.
The John and Karen Parsons-trained 3yr-old worked hard to find the lead at Wingatui before kicking on strongly to win.
The Ghibellines galloper is expected to be in front or near the speed again today.
